Petland Jacksonville joins Operation K9

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio, March 29, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Petland Jacksonville's Geoff and Kelli Daniels were recently honored at the Global Pet Expo in Orlando, Florida for their support of K9s For Warriors.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160328/348350

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20160328/348351

The Daniels joined Operation K9 Care, a nationwide program created by Bayer and K9s For Warriors to support the lifelong bond formed between veterans and their service dogs. They were able to first meet their warrior, Brian Foltz and his K9 Dell at the Expo.

K9s For Warriors is the only service dog organization for post-9/11 veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or traumatic brain injury (TBI) that requires them to live and train on site with their service dog before going home. K9s For Warriors' unique program offers 120 hours of hands-on training with certified dog trainers, housing, meals, veterinary care, training equipment, and peer-to-peer support at no cost to the veteran. The program reports a 100 percent success rate in suicide prevention in the graduates of the program. What's more, 66 percent of warrior graduates report a reduction in medications.

Through Operation K9 Care, Bayer will connect K9s For Warriors alumni with veterinary clinics and pet retailers across the country that agree to provide free health and wellness goods and services needed to care for each warrior's service dog. For the veterans who graduate from K9s For Warriors, their service dogs are truly their lifelines. The combined efforts of the veterinary clinics and pet retailers participating in Operation K9 Care will help alleviate the financial burden associated with caring for a service dog. Veterans will instead be able to focus on their journey with their service dogs, healing and regaining their independence.

Petland Jacksonville's Geoff and Kelli Daniels have pledged to provide an annual $1,000 gift card for the life of a warrior's service dog to help cover the cost of dog food, grooming services, leashes and other supplies.

Operation K9 Care is completely free to the veterans and ensures that all those who graduate from K9s For Warriors can more easily afford proper routine care for their life-saving service dogs, which in turn, helps these veterans live a fulfilling life.

"When we were approached, we teared up just thinking about the work they do and immediately agreed," said Kelli. "When we met our Warrior and his canine, there were no words. We are so grateful for his service and grateful we can be of assistance now."

Bayer first partnered with K9s For Warriors in 2014. As of 2016, the company has contributed over $500,000 to the organization and saved 65 warrior/dog teams, in addition to supplying K9 Advantix® II, the official flea and tick preventive of K9s For Warriors, to each training facility, and giving each graduating warrior a year's supply of K9 Advantix® II for their service dog.

"These shelter-to-service dogs and veterans form deep, lifetime bonds built on mutual love, care and devotion. Bayer is committed to ensuring that this unbreakable bond is supported through the routine and proper care these dogs need to do their jobs and support their warriors," said David Van Brunt, Vice President, Companion Animal Product Marketing, Bayer Animal Health. "Operation K9 Care demonstrates and honors not only our nation's service men and women, but the dogs that bring the joy of living back into their lives. Thank you to the veterinary clinics and pet supply retailers nationwide who have agreed to support this mission and make a significant, lasting impact in the lives of these graduate teams."

To learn more about the partnership between Bayer and K9s For Warriors, please visit
www.myk9myhero.com.

Petland, Inc. is a franchise operation with quality, full service retail pet centers across the United States, Canada, Japan, China, Mexico, South Africa, Brazil and El Salvador. For more than 47 years, Petland Pet Counselors have been dedicated to matching the right pet with the right person and meeting the needs of both. To its customers who already have pets, Petland is dedicated to enhancing their knowledge and enjoyment of the human-animal bond. Petland was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in south central Ohio. For more information on Petland, visit www.petland.com.

Bayer: Science For A Better Life
Bayer is a global enterprise with core competencies in the Life Science fields of health care and agriculture. Its products and services are designed to benefit people and improve their quality of life. At the same time, the Group aims to create value through innovation, growth and high earning power. Bayer is committed to the principles of sustainable development and to its social and ethical responsibilities as a corporate citizen. In fiscal 2014, the Group employed around 119,000 people and had sales of EUR 42.2 billion. Capital expenditures amounted to EUR 2.5 billion, R&D expenses to EUR 3.6 billion. These figures include those for the high-tech polymers business, which was floated on the stock market as an independence company named Convestro on October 6, 2015. For more information, go to www.bayer.com .

About K9s For Warriors
K9s For Warriors is dedicated to providing service canines to warriors suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a result of injuries they have received during military service post-9/11. The canines used in the program are carefully evaluated, former rescue/shelter dogs or owner surrenders. Give a new leash on life to rescue dogs and military heroes. Find more information at
www.k9sforwarriors.com.  

Contact:
Bayer
Lauren Dorsch, Tel. 913.287.6306
Email

K9s For Warriors
Tahoma Guiry
Email

Forward-Looking Statements
This release may contain forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by Bayer Group or subgroup management. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between the actual future results, financial situation, development or performance of the company and the estimates given here. These factors include those discussed in Bayer's public reports which are available on the Bayer website at www.bayer.com. The company assumes no liability whatsoever to update these forward-looking statements or to conform them to future events or developments.          

Contact: Elizabeth Kunzelman 
Petland, Inc. 
(740) 775-2464
Email

SOURCE Petland, Inc.

Related Links

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